Bruno v. Mills

Case Background

On November 12, 2019, Plaintiff · Richard P. Bruno, Jr., individually, as statutory beneficiary of Nathan R. Bruno, and as Administrator of the Estate of Nathan Bruno filed a Wrongful death lawsuit in the Rhode Island State, Newport County Superior Court(Case number: NC-2019-0433). Judge Richard A. Licht presided over the case.

Cause

Between December 2017 and January 2018, Defendant Ryan Moniz, the football coach at Portsmouth High School, received numerous harassing calls and text messages from an anonymous number. Moniz promptly reported these incidents to the Jamestown Police Department. In response, the police issued a subpoena to Cox Communications to trace the source of the communications. On February 1, 2018, Cox confirmed that the calls and messages originated from the cell phone of Nathan R. Bruno, a sixteen-year-old sophomore at Portsmouth High School and a football team member. That same day, Detective Derek Carlino, a co-Defendant in the case, shared this information with Moniz and contacted Nathan’s father, Richard P. Bruno, Jr.

On February 2, 2018, Nathan and Richard attended an interview at the Jamestown Police Department, where Nathan confessed to sending the harassing messages to Moniz. He faced immediate charges of cyberstalking and cyber harassment. During the interview, Nathan indicated that two other Portsmouth students were involved but did not disclose their identities. On February 6, several unsuccessful attempts were made to convince Nathan to reveal the names of these students. This included meetings with school officials and discussions with peers. Richard communicated with Moniz about the possibility of Nathan issuing an apology. However, Moniz rejected this unless Nathan named the other participants.. Earlier that day, Moniz allegedly threatened to resign if he could not identify the students involved. Tragically, the following day, Nathan committed suicide.

Injuries

The Plaintiffs, Nathan’s family, claimed that the. actions of the Portsmouth High School staff and the Jamestown Police caused significant pressure and emotional distress. They argued that this had negative consequences on Nathan’s mental health. The constant attempts to extract information from Nathan, along with the lack of support from school officials and law enforcement, created an environment of immense stress. This situation ultimately culminated in Nathan taking his own life. As a result, his family experienced severe emotional and psychological harm.

Damages

The Wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Bruno family sought damages for the emotional suffering they endured due to Nathan’s tragic suicide. They argued that the negligence of the Portsmouth High School staff and the Jamestown Police Department contributed to their son’s state of mind, resulting in irreversible damage. The family sought compensation for the loss of their child, funeral expenses, and the ongoing emotional toll Nathan’s death had on their lives.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Misty L. Kolbeck, individually and as statutory beneficiary of Nathan R. Bruno | Richard P. Bruno, Jr., individually, as statutory beneficiary of Nathan R. Bruno, and as Administrator of the Estate of Nathan Bruno
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Peter J. Cerilli| Kevin Vendituoli | John S. Foley
  • Defendant(s): Maddie L. Pirri | Joseph Amaral | Paige Kirwin-Clair | Ryan Moniz |  Stephen Trezvant | Town of Jamestown Finance Department | Det. Derek Carlino
    • Counsel for Defendants: Caroline Murphy| Karen K. Corcoran | Marc Desisto | Melody A. Alger

Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel

“It was just a total failure to put pressure on the boy,” Peter Cerilli, who represented the parents with John Foley, told The Providence Journal. “Basically there was abuse from the coach.”

“We have tremendous respect for Judge Licht and the jury system,” Marc DeSisto, who represented the city, told The Associated Press on Friday. “Fundamental legal issues remain pending before the Supreme Court and potentially the Supreme Court of Rhode Island that impact the decision of whether someone should be held responsible for another person’s suicide.”

 Claims

The Plaintiffs alleged multiple claims against the Defendants in the Wrongful death lawsuit, including negligence. They asserted that the Portsmouth High School personnel failed to communicate essential information regarding the police investigation to Nathan’s parents and pressured him to reveal the identities of his co-conspirators without proper oversight. They contended that this negligence violated their duty of care to Nathan. Additionally, the Bruno family claimed that Detective Carlino and the Town of Jamestown failed to adhere to proper policing protocols, improperly shared confidential information with Moniz, and neglected to inform Nathan’s parents about the ongoing investigation. These actions, they argued, amounted to a breach of duty that directly contributed to Nathan’s emotional distress and subsequent death.

Defense

The Defendants, including Ryan Moniz, Detective Derek Carlino, and the Portsmouth High School staff, asserted that they acted within their responsibilities. They claimed to have adhered to appropriate protocols throughout the investigation into Nathan R. Bruno’s actions. Moniz maintained that he promptly reported the harassing calls to the Jamestown Police Department. He cooperated fully with law enforcement to address the issue. Moniz argued that the pressure applied to Nathan was not meant to harm him. Instead, it was intended to seek accountability for the misconduct.

Detective Carlino contended that he followed standard procedures when investigating Nathan’s cyberstalking case and maintained that sharing information with Moniz was necessary to ensure the safety of the football team and address the issue effectively. Furthermore, the school officials claimed they engaged with Nathan and his father with the intention of resolving the matter and supporting Nathan’s well-being. They emphasized that the lack of direct communication with Nathan’s parents was not a result of negligence but rather an effort to respect Nathan’s privacy during an ongoing investigation. The Defendants argued that they could not foresee the tragic outcome and therefore should not be held liable for Nathan’s actions or the subsequent emotional distress experienced by his family.

Jury Verdict

On October 23, 2024, the jury rendered a verdict in favor of the Plaintiffs. They awarded a total of $5.4 million in damages for the emotional distress and suffering endured by Nathan R. Bruno’s family following his tragic death. This amount included $3.1 million in compensatory damages which was awarded in a Wrongful death lawsuit.

Court Documents:

Available Upon Request

Press Release:

Jury awards family $5 million and says football coach’s actions caused their son’s suicide